Second Chances
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: After the defeat of Lord Voldemort, Narcissa is surprised to learn that she may be pregnant.
1. Finding Out

Narcissa rushed to the bathroom from her spot on her bed. She knelt down in front of the toilet and barely lifted the seat before vomiting into it. She struggled to breathe as the acid stung her nose and burned her throat. She counted to ten in her head and tried to get her breathing back to normal.

There was a knock on the door.

"Cissy? Are you alright?" It was Lucius. She wanted to answer him, but before she could another bout of nausea took over and she threw up again. Her husband entered the bathroom and held back her hair as she tried to calm down. She leaned into Lucius' chest, exhausted.

"I'm nauseous, that's all." She said, breathlessly.

"Do you want me to have one of the house elves get you a potion?"

"No, I'll be fine." As she tried to stand up, her legs gave out under her. Lucius caught her before she hit the floor.

"You need to get back into bed." He said, gently.

"I think I should stay here in case I get sick again."

Lucius gathered his wife into his arms and carried her back to bed. He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead and gave her a kiss.

"Would you like me to stay with you instead of going to work today?" He asked.

"I couldn't ask you to do that."

"That wasn't what I asked." Narcissa sighed.

"I'll be fine, darling. Draco is still here. If I need you, I'll send one of the elves."

"Alright." He kissed his wife goodbye before going to see his son. Draco was in his room, reading.

"Dragon, watch over your mother for me today. I'm worried about her. Make sure you send someone to me if she gets any worse. Okay?"

"Yes, Father."

With that, Lucius flooed himself to work.

Draco went to his parents bedroom to see his mother lying on her back, face pale as death and covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

"Mum? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Draco. Go ahead and do something you like."

"Okay. I'll be back later."

When he left, Narcissa sighed. She felt a bit of cramping and turned on her side until she was in the fetal position. It ceased. After fifteen more minutes of waiting, she carefully got up and went to get ready for the day. After getting undressed, she noticed that her breasts were sore and a little swollen. She felt something stir inside her. An old instinct that had been buried for eighteen years, but couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She showered, dressed, and put on her makeup before going out into the kitchen to have the house elves begin preparing for lunch.

While in the kitchen, she noticed a calendar hanging on the wall. She checked the date, and after seeing it, froze. She took a sharp intake of breath and looked at it again, counting and recounting until the numbers no longer made sense. She made her way to the couch and sat down, completely stunned.

Her period was late. Eleven days late.

Then, it all began to click in her head: Tender breasts, vomiting, fatigue, all culminating in the possibility that she might be pregnant.

She felt as if she was watching everything from a distance. Like she was some lonely soul watching the movie that was her life from the comfort of a cozy home. She snapped her fingers and a house elf appeared.

"Mistress needs help?" Asked the girl.

"Fetch my husband from his work immediately. It's urgent."

"Yes, mistress."

With that, Narcissa was left alone with her thoughts.

Her emotions, so carefully boxed up and put away normally, began to overwhelm her. Before she really understood what was happening, she had her face buried in her hands and was sobbing. She thought she had known what fear was when her son was at the mercy of the Dark Lord, but this was an all new kind of fear. It gripped her completely and wouldn't let go. Tears streamed down her face like rain. She had never felt so alone. With Bellatrix deceased and Andromeda disowned, all she had left were her husband and son. She didn't know what she'd do if she didn't have them.

"Cissy?!" Lucius' voice broke through her hysteria, his tone frantic. "What is it? What's wrong?" He rushed to her side, kneeling in front of her as he put his hands over her own.

She sniffed. "Lucius, I... I might be pregnant."

The look on his face was one of incredulity. When he gathered his wits he took her hands.

"Let's go to St. Mungo's to be sure."

She nodded, wiping the tears from her face.

"Draco!" He called.

Their son came bolting through the house.

"Yes father?"

"Your Mother and I will be going to St. Mungo's to see about her condition."

"Alright. Be careful."

Lucius gave a curt nod, then disapparated to St. Mungo's with his beloved wife.

The reception room was average and looked in every way like any hospital would. The receptionist was warm and friendly.

"Welcome to St. Mungo's, how may we help you today?"

"My wife needs a pregnancy test."

"Alright. Please follow Nurse Goulding to your room."

The nurse smiled kindly at the couple and led them to a room.

"A healer will be with you shortly."

The nurse shut the door as Narcissa wiped her eyes. Lucius looked at his wife with pity. He couldn't imagine what she must have been feeling. He sat next to her and wiped her tears away. She gave him a half smile. He still loved her after twenty years of marriage. They had married right after Narcissa had graduated from Hogwarts and had gotten pregnant with Draco two short years later when she was twenty years old. They were so young and in love with one another. She kissed her husband gently, but worry marred her beautiful face.

"What are we going to do, Lucius?" She whispered in a trembling voice. He squeezed her hands.

"We'll do whatever we have to do." She leaned into him, afraid. The healer came in, and Lucius wrapped an arm around his wife.

"Hello Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy. My name is Dr. Caritate, and I'll be your healer this afternoon. It says here that you need a pregnancy test, correct?"

"Yes." Narcissa said, quietly.

"Alright. We'll cast a charm and if the light turns pink, you're pregnant. If it's blue, you're not." They nodded.

She cast the spell, and the light around her stomach was white, and Narcissa held her breath. Slowly, the light began to change color.

At the end of five minutes, she had an answer: pink for pregnant.

Lucius only left his wife to go pay for the service he received, knowing she'd need a minute to sort things through.

Narcissa took a deep breath and sighed. Maybe she was just blowing things out of proportion. Maybe it would be a good thing. Lucius reentered the room and sat next to his wife, holding her hand.

"We'll get through this as a family." He said, quietly. She nodded. "Let's go home."

Her silence unnerved him to the bone. "Cissy?"

Finally, she spoke. "Maybe this is a good thing."

He was surprised. "Really?"

"Maybe another child will be good for our family. We could have the chance to fix the mistakes we made the first time around."

"I suppose that's true."

"What do you think?"

"I think this is a great idea, and if this is what you want, I support you."

They shared a kiss before apparating back to Malfoy Manor.


	2. Telling Draco

Draco anxiously awaited his parents return on the couch. When they appeared in the room he visibly relaxed. Lucius stepped out from behind his wife and nodded at his son. For Narcissa, the room was spinning dangerously and before she understood what was happening, she fainted dead away. Lucius scrambled to catch her and just barely caught her before her head hit the wood floor.

"Cissy?!" His tone was frantic.

"Mum?!" Draco rushed to help his mother up. With Draco's help Lucius was able to carry and lay his wife on the couch. He impatiently snapped his fingers and a house elf popped up in front of the small family.

"Yes master?" Asked the older elf.

"Iolas, get a cold compress for my wife." He snapped.

He poofed away and was back within two minutes. Lucius snatched it from the elf's hands, not looking at him.

"You may leave now."

"Thank you, master."

In contrast to his callous demeanor with the elf, he used all of the tenderness in his body to lay the compress on his wife's forehead. Narcissa's eyes fluttered open and she moaned quietly.

"Cissy, are you alright?" He asked softly.

She nodded, even though her head was pounding. "I'm fine."

Draco wrung his hands nervously beside his father. "What did the healer say?" He asked, voice riddled with anxiety. Narcissa and Lucius shared a look, unsure of how to proceed. She squeezed his hand before turning her attention to her son.

"First of all, I want to reassure you that it's not a disease or anything terminal." Draco's tensed shoulders relaxed a bit. "I don't quite know how to say this, so I'm just going to be blunt: Draco, we're having a baby."

Of all the things he thought he might hear, that was the last thing he expected. Quite honestly he was more prepared to deal with a divorce announcement than with the idea of having a sibling. A million thoughts raced through his mind at once. Why would they want another child? Was he not good enough? Did he do something wrong? Had he failed them in some way? Despite all the thoughts running through his mind, all he could make come out was a shocked "Oh."

Narcissa's maternal instincts went into overdrive. A subtle red flag was raised in her mind. Draco needed her. She took her son's hand delicately.

"Sweetheart, no matter what happens with this baby you know that we will always love you longer. You are the greatest son I could ever have asked for. I'm so proud of you, darling."

Draco smiled, a true, genuine smile at her words. She squeezed his hand.

Lucius looked on at his wife and son, unsure of what to feel. Finding out that Narcissa was pregnant had caused him to numb out all of his feelings until he could really deal with them privately. All he could feel was indifference. He loved his family more than anything, but still felt unprepared as an onslaught of emotion attacked him at once. Without saying a word, he went upstairs to the master bedroom to sort out everything before it became too much.

Draco watched his father leave with a feeling of uncertainty lodged deep in his stomach. If he felt unready for a new baby, he could only imagine what his father must have been feeling. As a Malfoy, he'd been brought up to compartmentalize his emotions. He imagined that's what Father was doing. He sat at the end of the couch with his mother, wondering about what the future would bring for him.

Narcissa worried at her son's silence. She knew Draco was not a fan of change. This sort of massive life change was sure to prove no different. She carefully sat up and wrapped an arm around her son. He hugged her robotically, just repeating the motion with no feeling behind it. Finally, the silence proved too much for her.

"Dragon, what is it?"

Draco sighed at the inevitable question. He couldn't look his mother in the eye.

"Did I do something wrong?"

He said it with such a heavy heart that it smashed her own to pieces.

"Oh darling, of course not. We didn't even expect this would happen. You've been a perfect son. We don't want to replace you or anything like that. This is just the card we were dealt in life, and we have to make peace with it. Okay?"

He nodded. She gently kissed his blonde locks. "I'll be around if you want to talk, alright?"

"Okay."

With one last kiss, she went off to find her husband.

Lucius lay on his back, blonde hair splayed out to all over the emerald green pillowcase that contrasted with the silver comforter. His emotions were flying as freely as a kite. Happiness, confusion, excitement, and fear mingled together to create the strangest combinations of feelings he had ever felt. He heard the door open and knew it was his wife. Narcissa laid down next to him and held his hand. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours, but were only minutes.

"Are you afraid?" She asked, turning to him. He looked at her, his grey eyes piercing her soul.

"Parenthood is always a terrifying prospect." He commented blithely.

"I know. I'm scared too." Her hand ran over her still flat stomach.

"Do you think we're ready to go through all of this again?" He asked her earnestly.

"We don't have much of a choice now, do we?" Her sarcasm was dry and on point. It made him chuckle slightly.

"I suppose not." He turned over onto his side and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "You're going to be a great mother, you know."

She shut her eyes at his closeness. "Do you really think so?"

"I know so. Just look at Draco. He wouldn't be who he is today of it weren't for you."

She smiled and kissed him. "You're already a great father. The turn around you made with our son in these past few weeks is amazing. I couldn't be more proud."

He smiled, white teeth aglitter. He took her other hand in his free one and snuggled up to her. Holding one another tightly, they fell asleep, hoping to give their unborn child all of the things that they had never had.


	3. Emotion Sickness

Narcissa spent those first few minutes after waking from her nap wondering about her baby. Would she have yet another perfect son? Or would she now have a daughter to teach and love to no end? Both prospects made her excited. She rubbed her hand over her stomach as if it were a good luck charm. Her mind drifted on the topic of names and she mentally started to go through a list of stars and constellations. She had a fairly good idea of what the middle names would be for either a girl or boy, she only needed the go ahead from her husband to make it so. She was quite sure he would agree with her. First names were going to be the real issue.

Lucius, meanwhile, had just barely become conscious. He was alert, but wasn't ready to open his eyes yet. His lids were still heavy with sleep. He pressed his wife closer to him and she smiled.

"Hello, darling." She moved to face him and kissed his forehead. Lucius smiled and opened his eyes to his wife's face. He ran a hand down her cheek.

"You look wonderful today, love."

She blushed and grinned, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"I've been thinking about names and I think I've figured out some good middle names."

"Well then, let's hear them."

"I was thinking, if we have a boy, we could make his middle name Severus in honor of Snape, and if we have a girl, her middle name could be Bellatrix in honor of my sister." Narcissa smiled, but it faltered easily and a tear ran down her cheek. Lucius was quick to wipe it away.

"I think that's a wonderful idea."

"You really think so?" This time her smile was real.

"I do."

Narcissa kissed him gently. They shared a grin.

Unfortunately for Narcissa, the nausea akin to the first trimester of pregnancy struck her without warning and she scrambled to get to the bathroom. She made it just in time. Lucius got up after her and held back her hair. His wife moaned, resting her head on the bowl. Not even pregnant a day and she was already sick of morning sickness.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, Lucius."

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Are you sure you don't want a potion for your nauseousness?"

"You know I think that isn't good for the baby."

Lucius mumbled something along the lines of "Even when the healer said otherwise."

"What was that?" She barked, mood swings kicking in.

"Nothing." He amended quickly. Lucius remembered how volatile her mood swings had been when she had been pregnant with Draco. He didn't want to provoke her.

She sighed, exhausted. After ten more minutes of waiting with nothing coming up, she got up and walked down to the kitchen. A female elf ran up to greet her.

"Mistress needs help?" She asked anxiously.

"Get me a ginger newt, cockroach clusters, some fizzing whizbees, and some fudge flies."

"Yes, Mistress."

Narcissa sat at the ornate dining room table, eyes listless and glassy as her mind raced. She felt overwhelmed with emotion, and before she knew what was happening, she was sobbing.

Draco heard the noise before his father and went down to see what the matter was. When he saw his mother crying, it twisted something deep inside. It wasn't right. He went over to the table and sat next to her, unsure of what to do next.

"Mum? Are you okay?" He asked, worried.

Narcissa lifted her head from the cool wood of the table and forced a smile.

"I'm fine, sweetheart."

Lucius came into the room and rushed to his wife's side when he saw her tear stained face.

"Cissy? What is it?" He asked, kneeling beside her and taking her hand. Narcissa sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"I'm just upset. Thinking about those names reminded me about Bella."

Lucius' eyes, usually so full of steel and ice, were soft with concern, and he squeezed her hand.

"I know you miss her."

"I do. I didn't get to say goodbye..."

"Maybe it was that way for a reason."

"What reason would that be?" She asked, angrily.

Lucius flinched at her sudden change in emotion.

"...Perhaps because it would have been too much."

Narcissa's fierce gaze was replaced with one more tender.

"Maybe you're right."

"Wouldn't be the first time." He joked.

His wife laughed loudly. She kissed her husband, just as the house elf returned with her requested candy.

"Finally." The house elf scurried away before any of the family could do anything to her.

Narcissa had the fizzing whizbees and ginger newt first, hoping to calm her stomach. Lucius smiled at her.

"I can't remember the last time you ate this much candy at one time."

"I haven't had cockroach clusters since I was pregnant with you." She said, talking to her son. Draco gave her a half smile. "That was the best time of my life." Her expression became dreamy as she rested her cheek on one hand. Lucius smiled and gave her hand a squeeze.

"You were glowing then, and still are now." He said, kissing her hand. The look she gave him was so full of love that it made him feel overwhelmed.

Draco watched the small interaction between his parents and smiled. It was times like these that made him see what true love looked like. He loved seeing the softer side of them. When they weren't looking, he crept away and let them have their moment.

Narcissa leaned down to kiss her husband, and when she pulled away looked at him with a fiery passion. The two of them headed upstairs together where they indulged in love making until it was time for dinner.

They ate quietly, and when finished retired to the parlor for some quality time. They each buried their noses in a book, occasionally remembering to talk now and again. By the time they were done, it was nine o'clock and Narcissa was ready for bed. She excused herself to the master bedroom and took off her make up, put on her pajamas and robe, and brushed her teeth. When she crawled into bed, exhausted as ever before, her husband was there to hold her until she finally fell asleep.


	4. The Face Of Fear

For the first few weeks of pregnancy, Narcissa was enthralled with her new baby. Despite the constant morning sickness and frequent need to use the bathroom, her usually cold demeanor had warmed considerably. Even the house elves had noticed. Lucius, noticing this, had become happier too. Draco, although still adjusting to the idea of having a sibling, saw his parents joy and couldn't help but reciprocate. She had already started making the baby's nursery, with a cradle, rocking chair, colored stuffed animals and blankets.

Narcissa was in her ninth week of pregnancy when she woke up late one morning to see her husband had already left for work. She rolled out of bed only to choke up acid a few minutes later. When she was sure she was done, she sat on the toilet to relieve herself.

When she looked down, however, she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

There were scarlet stains in her underwear.

For a moment she was too frozen with fear to even speak. She snapped her fingers, and a house elf appeared not nearly fast enough.

"Get my husband from his work now! I must go to the hospital!" She snarled. The elf poofed away as quickly as possible, and Narcissa threw on a set of robes, not caring who noticed if they didn't match. She moved down to the fireplace as if walking on eggshells, trying her best not to cry.

Lucius appeared like a white knight and took her hand, flooing them to St. Mungo's. She was set in a wheelchair and whisked away almost immediately when she yelled that she was pregnant and bleeding. The healer gave her a potion to stop the bleeding, and although she typically disapproved of that, she drank it hurriedly. Her face was pale as white parchment, her eyes wide as a doe. She gripped her husband's hand so tightly that he wondered if she'd broken any bones. He put his pain aside. This was far more important. He patted her hand, trying to be comforting but not daring to say a word.

The healer returned and Narcissa held her breath.

"Mrs. Malfoy, in order to ascertain whether or not you've miscarried, I need to ask you a few questions."

She nodded, and Lucius squeezed her hand.

"Have you felt any cramping?"

She shook her head "no".

"Any back pain?"

"No."

"Okay. May I know both of your ages?"

"38 and 39."

She jotted it down. "Miscarriages are much more common in couples that are over 35 years old. However, since you haven't had any pain had haven't expelled a fetus, I'm afraid I can't tell if you've miscarried or are just hemorrhaging. I can't take any decisive action until I know which. I advise that you go home for now. If you start bleeding again then come back and I'll see what I can do. Otherwise just come back when it's time for your next check up and we can see what's happening with the baby.

Although she detested the answer, Narcissa nodded.

Lucius apparated them home, unsure of what to say. Wordlessly, Narcissa left his side and slowly made her way to the baby's nursery. She opened the door and stepped inside. She kept her eyes fixated on the cradle, and carefully sat down in the rocking chair. Her breathing, usually such a small, fickle thing, became uneven and unsteady. They escalated into sobs and finally desperate wails as she buried her face in her hands.

The only thing she could think about was her failure. She had failed to carry this child properly. Even if it was still alive the hemorrhaging could do no good for her baby. Never before had she despised herself so much. She hid her face from any mirrors, ashamed to look at her own face. The sentence that kept popping up was "If I had only done things differently, none of this would have happened."

Draco, who had no inkling of what was happening, ran when he heard her impotent sobs. He didn't understand what was going on but knew nothing good could come of it. Lucius had beat him there and put both hands on his wife's shoulders. His head was hung in disappointment. Draco felt terror gripping him. Rarely did Father ever show emotion. Draco stepped forward. Lucius looked up at his only son and squeezed his wife's shoulders before accosting his son outside and shutting the door.

"Your mother may have lost the baby. We don't know for sure." He said, quietly. Draco felt a rush of emotions flash by in a second, but couldn't latch onto one.

"Oh." Draco felt unsure of his place in this current situation. Lucius put a hand on his son's shoulder. Draco forced a smile, then turned his attention to the door and opened it carefully. His Mother was still crying. He sat next to her, silently worried. Narcissa felt her son's presence in the room, and lifted her head to plant a kiss on his head. She ran her hands through his hair, just as she had done when he was little. He shut his eyes and let her. Anything to stop her sobs.

Their small family gathered together in the nursery, protecting their matriarch. Narcissa felt loved, despite the fear that consumed her. Neither Lucius nor Draco left her side that evening. Narcissa went on bed rest for the rest of the week. When she was up and around the week after, she tread lightly, so afraid of losing her child that she hadn't slept well or breathed easily since she'd discovered blood in her underwear. Slowly, life took on a strange type of normalcy and predictability. She was just counting down the hours until she would know if her precious child was still alive. There was no more bleeding, nor was there a fetus expelled from her. It gave her slight hope.

Three weeks later, when it was time for her twelve week check up, she discovered that she was still pregnant.


	5. Origins

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the story thus far. The sorting hat song featured below is of my own creation, and may not be used without my consent. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

Tears of happiness streaked down Narcissa's face. Her baby was alive and, from the looks of things, completely normal. She held onto her husband tightly, thrilled out of her wildest dreams. He was smiling in a wide, toothy grin. They shared a kiss as they exited St. Mungo's, before returning to Malfoy Manor. Narcissa was just starting to show, and was glowing with joy.

Entering her second trimester wasn't all that good. She felt insecure about her weight gain, even though Lucius still looked at her like he had when they were first dating.

Narcissa smiled at the memory.

_It was her first year at Hogwarts, and she was waiting to be sorted. The room was quiet as the sorting hat began it's song:_

_"I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat_

_Made by our founders four,_

_Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, _

_Slytherin and Gryffindor._

_Each of our founders made a house_

_To choose from those who entered,_

_The traits they valued most in them so they'd be among those who were similarly centered._

_For Gryffindor the bravest students were valued for what they'd overcame,_

_For Ravenclaw_ _the intelligent were the ones whom she sought to claim._

_Slytherin prized those with pride, cunning, and ambition,_

_And Hufflepuff took on those who worked hard and were of a cheery disposition._

_With houses made and students picked with all fairly divided,_

_The founders faced one last conundrum for which no answer could be cited._

_How were they to choose their students after they were dead?_

_Gryffindor was the one who solved it by taking me From his head._

_The founders put their brains in me so I could sort you each_

_So come forward now that I_ _may show you what they have to teach._

_There's one last thing I'd like to add before I sort you all tonight:_

_Though in different houses you may be, try your best not to fight._

_For fighting split apart the_ _founders we all know,_

_Until it got bad enough that old Slytherin decided to go._

_Now that you know the story of our founders and their traits,_

_'Tis time for me to sort you_ _and for you to know your fate."_

_When they called her name she was nervous, but when she heard the hat shout "SLYTHERIN!" Her nerves vanished. Bella and Andy stood, clapping for her. As she moved to sit at the dining room table with her sisters Lucius spied her from the other side of the table. Her figure was willowy with platinum blonde hair contrasting her robes. He knew he had to have her, so when she was about to go to the common room, he ran to catch up with her, and confidently walked up to her._

_"If_ _I were to look into the Mirror of Erised, I'd see the two of us together."_

_It was not the first time she had seen him, but it was the first time they'd really spoken. Narcissa blushed. She'd heard tales about the Mirror of Erised from Bella, who was infamous for sneaking around Hogwarts. For an instant, she thanked whatever deity existed that she understood what he was talking about._

_"Smooth. I'm Narcissa Black." She said, extending her hand to him._

_"Lucius Malfoy. The pleasure is all mine." He bowed gallantly and kissed her hand. She giggled slightly. The sound delighted his ears. "Would you like to go out sometime?"_

_She smiled. "Sure."_

Appearing back in her home shook her from her reverie. Lucius was looking at her.

"Is everything alright, darling?" He asked.

"I was just remembering the first time you asked me on a date." She said, kissing his cheek. They shared a smile.

"Do you still remember our first date?"

"How could I forget?"

Her mind flashed back to that wonderful day.

_It was over the next weekend. He had held her hand as they walked around the grounds, talking about their future plans and dreams, about the families they came from and some of the history behind them. Narcissa spoke highly of her sisters as Lucius gazed at her longingly. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and her smile was brilliantly bright. He noticed how her lip curled slightly when she was concentrating. It was so attractive on her._

_When she looked into his eyes, that's when he knew she was the one for him. Their eyes locked and they slowly leaned in to kiss one another. It was an electric sensation that surged throughout their bodies. He knew this was the woman of his dreams, and the kiss only accentuated the point._

In the present, they smiled at the old memories and kissed again. Draco was waiting for them, and only until he cleared his throat would he get his parents attention. Narcissa went over to him and gave him a kiss.

"We're still pregnant." She said, triumphantly. Draco smiled.

"I'm glad." And he was. Finally, his mother's fears had been laid to rest. Narcissa held her son tightly, pride making her eyes water. She sat for a few minutes, wondering what to do next. She supposed she ought to eat now in case she got a headache and couldn't move later. Draco left quickly, saying he wasn't hungry, but kissed his mother on the cheek before going. She was quickly served at the table, where she sat with her husband, remembering all of the important dates in their lives. She knew that with him by her side, she could face anything. She put her hand on his, a gentle, loving gesture. He grinned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you." She whispered.

"Only slightly less than I love you." He teased, gently. She laughed, and it still had that magical quality to make him forget all his troubles, just like when they were young. He never got tired of hearing her laugh, and knew that he never would. As Lucius held his wife's hand, returning her loving gaze, he knew their future together would be bright indeed.


	6. Dance With Me

**Author's Note: Hey everybody! Sorry for posting so late but I knew I wouldn't have time to tomorrow. I hope you're all enjoying the story! Lyric snippets below (In italics) are from the song "Turning Page" by Sleeping At Last.**

Narcissa knocked on the familiar wooden door, cradling her stomach as if it were a good luck charm. It was now slightly protruding, just barely enough to be visible to the naked eye. The door opened, and she smiled warmly.

"May I come in?" She asked. Draco nodded, and she sat on his bed, patting the spot next to here.

"Come here, honey. I want to talk to you."

"Okay..." He asked, hesitantly. He sat with her.

"I've talked through so much of this pregnancy with your father, and he's become used to it. Now I want to know how you feel. Your opinion is just as important as his is to me."

Draco bit his lip, and Narcissa touched his hand. "What is it?"

He sighed. "I guess I'm just afraid of being forgotten."

"Oh, Dragon, how could we ever forget you? Sixteen hours of labor isn't something you easily forget."

He smiled halfheartedly, and Narcissa wrapped her arms around him, saddened by his fear. Although he'd never admit it out loud, her hug made him feel safe. He tried to remember a time before he'd been taught the Malfoy pride and enjoyed her embrace.

Lucius walked by at that moment, and saw the unguarded emotion between his wife and son. His lips tipped up in the ghost of a smile before he continued on his way to the living room. Narcissa felt her husband's gaze, but decided not to spoil the rare moment of affection between herself and her child. When Draco pulled away, she smiled at him.

"If you ever feel like you need to talk, you know you can always talk to me. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good." She kissed her son on his head before going to see her husband.

Lucius sat in his favorite armchair, with a book in one hand and a glass of firewhiskey in the other. He noticed his wife walking toward him and shut his book with a satisfying smack. He set it on the small table next to his chair and smiled when his wife sat in his lap.

"Hello darling." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, curious.

"Fine. Better than fine, actually. I had a good talk with Draco and I think he's feeling a lot better about the new baby."

"Good." He said, quietly. His eyes roamed over her body. "You look spectacular." He added.

"Really? You don't think I'm getting fat?" She asked, looking him right in the eye.

"Never." He said fiercely.

"So, you still desire me after all these years?" She batted her eyes at him.

"Forever!" He swore, kissing her perfectly curved lips. He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and ran his hand down her cheek. "Querida."

Narcissa laughed. "You haven't called me that in years, mon chère." She said, grinning.

He kissed her again before lifting her into his arms. She laughed with carefree abandon as he spun her around in a circle. He looked down at his wife, eyes filled with love. She leaned up and kissed him before he set her in his chair and offered her his hand.

"May I have this dance?" He asked.

She smiled and took his hand. "Always."

A song they'd never heard before started to play, but they didn't mind.

_"I've waited a hundred years, but I'd wait a million more for you..."_

They never took their eyes off of one another. They spun in a careful circle, exchanging chaste kisses and quiet sentiments of love. The music droned on in the background of their cosmic moment of togetherness. Narcissa leaned into the stronghold of his chest. He gently rested his chin on her head and shut his eyes.

Draco had gone out the living room to get a favorite book, but stopped when he saw his parents dancing together. Mum had told him that they had used to dance around the house together all the time as newlyweds. He had never really seen them demonstrate affection for one another until now. He smiled, watching.

"Ti amo, il mio bel fiore." He whispered. Draco translated in his head, having been made to study languages as a child. He had said (in Italian), "I love you, my beautiful flower."

"Que Je te aime, mon chère." She replied. He took a minute to change gears and translated (from French): "As I love you, my darling."

He hid his smile and snuck back to his room, leaving them with their moment. Although he may not have had a perfect childhood, seeing moments like these reassured him that his parents had a strong marriage. Their example was comforting to him- he knew he had been able to witness true love.

_"I surrender who I've been for who you are, for nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart..."_

Lucius moved to cup her chin in his hands and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Still holding her gaze, he bent down and held her stomach and gave it a kiss. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"I love you so much." Her voice trembled with the depth of her emotion.

He stood back up. "I love you too."

They held to one another as the last notes of music floated around them. The world around them had broken away, leaving them in a world all their own. Nothing else mattered. The room had gone quiet. Almost completely still. It was a rare moment alone, and they cherished it for all it was worth. With a baby on the way, alone time would be a highly sought after commodity that would be near impossible to find. They shared one last kiss before moving to hold hands as they retired to their bedroom for the rest of the evening. Narcissa knew that, whatever came next, she would face these challenges with her soulmate by her side.


	7. Forgiveness

At 20 weeks pregnant, Narcissa decided that she wanted to know the sex of her child. On that quiet Sunday morning, she was up at sunrise, filled with thoughts. She rubbed her stomach carefully, wondering how her baby was doing. As if in reply, she felt the first fluttering of the baby in her stomach. She gasped. Lucius looked at her, worried.

"Are you alright, darling?"

"I felt the baby moving."

"Really?"

She nodded, grinning. He smiled and kissed her gently. They both showered and dressed quickly, anxious to know a little more about the child that would soon be a part of their family. Lucius put a hand on her shoulder just as she finished applying makeup at her vanity.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Narcissa took her husband's arm and went to say goodbye to her son before leaving.

Draco sat at his windowsill, looking at the grounds of the home he'd grown up in, unsure of how to feel about knowing the gender of his future sibling. A knock came at his door, and he turned his head to the sound.

His mother's head popped through the opening.

"We're going to see the doctor, now." He nodded, then turned back to the window. He set his chin on his hand. It was a rare sunny day, one that contrasted sharply with his feelings, which alternated between thoughtful hope and pessimism. He was starting to get used to the idea of having a brother or sister, but still felt unsure of what his place would be in his family after they were born. He knew his parents would always love him, but what about his future sibling? Would he have the capacity to love them? More so, would he even care? He sighed, and went to the kitchen for a drink of water. He went out to the backyard and sat down in a lounge chair, looking up at the rarely seen sun. Perhaps it was a good sign.

He was quiet, smelling the fresh cut grass and soaking in the warm summer sun. There were rolling hills beneath the manor, and none above. It still seemed as though the house was looking down on everything around it as if it were beneath them. It wasn't so far off from how he'd once thought of himself and his family. Now, humbled by the events preceding and proceedings of the Second Wizarding War, he had come to understand that he was not as invincible as he had once thought himself to be. He had believed that status and money could get him out of the toughest of life's situations, but was quickly proven wrong. He still shuttered at the thought of his family being under Voldemort's thumb.

Then, a strange new thought came to him.

What if this was some sort of reward for defecting to the side of good during the war?

After sitting on the thought for a few minutes, he apparated himself to the steeple of a nondenominational church. He let himself in and sat in the back row as the worship team began to play their music. Often a loner, he had never been brought up to believe in any sort of higher power. Mother and Father did not attend church. He wasn't sure why he'd brought himself to that specific church, but counseled himself with the thought that it was the only church he had passed constantly as a child.

As he sat there, listening to the first strains of music, he thought about the concept of forgiveness. He would never forgive himself for serving the Dark Lord- not anytime soon at least. But there was a whisper of hope inside of him. Perhaps if someone else forgave him, he could start on the road to forgiving himself. He feared opening himself up to that kind of vulnerability, but he had nothing left to lose.

He had never prayed before, and wasn't sure how to go about it, so he did what he saw in the movies- he bowed his head and folded his hands. Yet, still, it didn't fit him quite right. He stood up as the music grew, and put his hands in the air, shutting his eyes. He pictured his family with the new addition inside of it, and began to smile. The music played, and it felt as if it were a part of him as they sang about forgiveness and accepting God with open arms.

For the first time in his life, Draco felt free from his past mistakes. He sat through the service as the pastor preached forgiveness and tolerance of change. All too quickly, it was over, and Draco went home. And yet, one service had transformed him. He had gone from feeling uncertain of his place in the family to being reassured. He ran inside and took a book off of the shelf, energized by one simple idea: he would involve himself with the preparation of welcoming the new baby.

He started flipping through a book of stars and constellations, knowing the perfect way to start.

Narcissa was silently waiting for the healer to come back in the room after the nurse had left. After being asked several questions about her development during this time in her pregnancy, she was impatient to know what kind of baby she was having. She kept drumming her fingers on the bed, full of excitement and anxiety- each of which took turns being the dominant emotion she felt. The healer entered the room and Narcissa breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hello Mrs. Malfoy. Would you like to know the sex of your baby?"

"Yes please."

"Okay." She said, and waved her wand. The glow around her stomach was yellow. The healer told her it would take ten minutes to find out. To Narcissa, it might as well have been ten years. During the eighth minute, the color finally began to change and darken.

The final color was a dark blue.

"Congratulations, Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy, you're having a baby boy."


	8. Time Together

Draco was eagerly awaiting his parents return. His heart, once blackened with the weight of his mistakes, was now bright with hope and excitement. His parents appeared in the fireplace, Lucius supporting his wife as she walked through the familiar opening.

"It's a boy!" Narcissa shouted, jovially. Draco got up and hugged both of his parents. Narcissa instantly sensed a big change in her son.

"Draco darling, are you alright?" She asked, worried.

"Never been better." He swore. She grinned, excited with his sudden change in attitude. She was so proud of him. This was the first time she'd see him truly happy in months. It was a breath of fresh air in their lives.

"What's got you so happy, Dragon?" Narcissa asked, curiosity peaking.

"I finally started forgiving myself for my past mistakes. I feel so much lighter!" He remarked, excitedly.

Lucius smiled at his first born, incredibly pleased with him. He had been hoping that Draco would start on the road to healing, and was moved to know that he had indeed begun to forgive himself. It was one of the most important things he could ever do. He went over to his son and hugged him tightly.

"I'm proud of you, son."

"Thanks, Dad."

Lucius held himself together by a thread. For the first time in a long time, he was not just "Father". He hadn't been anything close to "Dad" since Draco was six years old. He had taken such pleasure in being a father during those first few years of his son's life. He had been so proud to be called "Daddy" for the first time. But over the years his pride got in the way and he had insisted on being "Father" in public. What a fool he'd been! He would be proud to hold the title of "Daddy" again.

Draco was moved. This was the closest he'd felt to his father in a long time. It was a liberating feeling. Lucius gave him a tight squeeze before letting go. Narcissa looked at her son, filled with hope. He had finally understood the importance of forgiving himself. In those first few days after the war, that was all she had prayed for. Unknowingly, she began to cry, and Draco walked over to her. She hugged her son tightly, wishing forlornly that he was little and easy to pick up again.

"I'm so happy for you." She choked out. "All I ever wanted was for you to be able to forgive yourself."

He held her tight. "I know." He mumbled into her shoulder, trembling. The relief he felt was overwhelming. His eyes snapped open when he remembered his surprise for them.

"I almost forgot- I have a surprise for you both. I've been looking through this book of stars and I think I found the perfect name for my new brother."

"Really? Do tell."

When he said it, Narcissa and Lucius shared a look and a nod.

"It's perfect." She said, smiling.

"I was hoping you'd like it."

The next day, Lucius received an owl from his work that asked him to go on a week-long business trip. Although he was hesitant to leave his wife, he knew he had to go. The next morning he had his bags packed and kissed his wife goodbye. He gave Draco a hug, then left to complete his work.

Narcissa was excited to spend some quality time with her son. They ate breakfast together in the dining room, making small talk and occasionally having a laugh or two. After breakfast was over, Narcissa took time to get ready for the day before going to search for her son.

Walking down the hall, she peeked into his room to see him reading a book and smiled. She knocked gently on the door, and Draco jumped a foot in the air. He recovered quickly.

"S-Sorry. You scared me, that's all."

Narcissa felt her heart sink. Two years ago he would have never been afraid of something as simple as a knock at the door.

"It's alright, darling. I just wanted to see if you wanted to spend some time together."

Draco set his book aside and smiled. "Sure Mom."

Her heart leapt into her throat, and she had to make a conscious attempt not to cry with happiness.

Draco stood up and went over to his mother. "So, what are we going to do?"

"I thought we could spend the day exploring the countryside together."

He smiled. "Sounds like a nice way to spend the day."

Narcissa was mildly surprised. She hadn't expected him to say yes.

"Wonderful." She said, clasping her hands together.

They flew to the English countryside where the house elves had packed them a picnic lunch. They spent the day enjoying the sun and talking. Draco, who normally behaved in a subdued manner, was brighter and more vivacious than usual. To say that she was impressed was an understatement.

With his father away on business, Draco finally told his mother about the experience he had in the church that past Sunday. Narcissa just smiled. Whatever made her son happy was good enough for her. She promised to take him the next week so she could see it for herself. When twilight approached, they flew back to the manor for dinner.

After another few hours alone spent reading The Daily Prophet and drinking a nice cup of Earl Grey tea, Narcissa went in to check on her son.

Draco lay asleep on top of his bed comforter, a book strewn on the other side of the bed. She smiled and went into the hall closet and got a blanket from the top shelf. She carried it back to her son's room and draped it over his sleeping form. He gave the faintest smile before turning onto his side. Carefully, she picked up the book and set it back on the shelf, then backed out carefully and shut the door behind her, leaving her most prized possession, her son, to his dreams.


	9. Arrived

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Keep your eyes out for a sequel in the future, and Happy Holidays to you all!**

The next week passed with mother and son growing ever closer to one another. By the end of the week, Narcissa and Draco were closer than they had ever been before. Lucius came home to the manor, usually so depressing and darkened with a glum aura, was filled with laughter and happiness. It was the best welcome home present he could have ever hoped for. He sat on the couch as his wife and son regaled tales of their week together. They spoke of picnics taken to the countryside, reading books together by the fireplace, and even doing a little shopping.

Lucius had become an entirely different person. Once closed off and cold, he had followed his son's example and finally let his emotions free. A week away from his family was far too long. He had made the enormous jump from workaholic to family man with virtually no steps in between.

The weeks flew by, and Narcissa's stomach had grown big with child. It was her final month of pregnancy, and the house was abuzz with baby fever. Draco had spent an hour per day helping his father set up the nursery. At 36 weeks in, it was finally finished. They asked Narcissa to wait a day or two before doing a final walk through, just to make sue the paint smell had completely aired out. Lucius covered her eyes as he led her inside, with Draco following them with a smile. He was confident his mother would love it. When Lucius removed his hands, Narcissa gasped.

It was perfect. The walls had been repainted a beautiful light blue with white trim. There was a crib against one wall, and there was a dresser against the back wall. The changing table was next to that, and a closet on the next wall.

"Oh Lucius, it's wonderful! Oh, thank you both so much!" She held both of her boys tightly in her arms, so filled with pride that she could barely choke out the words of praise. She had to be careful not to get too excited, otherwise she could go into early labor. The baby, feeling her excitement, started kicking excitedly.

"The baby's kicking!" She announced. Lucius knelt down so that his head was level with her stomach. He put his hands on it, then started talking to his son.

"I wish I knew just what to say to you, but I know I want to thank you for bringing joy back into my family. You have brought us all closer together and have made us whole once more. I can hardly wait to meet you." Narcissa had to wipe the tears from her eyes as her husband kissed her stomach where their son was kicking wildly.

The next two weeks were spent on bed rest for Narcissa. She only saw the world through the opening and closing doorway of her bedroom. Lucius had used some vacation time to make sure he would be there when his wife went into labor. Her son often came into the darkened room to be near her as long as possible. Lucius lay next to his wife, hands intertwined as they spoke quietly to one another, occasionally laughing and smiling at one another.

When the time came, She was as prepared as she could ever be. She had almost forgotten how agonizing contractions could be- almost. Lucius was incredibly calm as he got his wife to St. Mungo's. Draco tagged along, deciding to sit outside as his mother began to beg for something, anything to make the pain stop. He didn't want to get caught in the crosshairs of that battle. When Narcissa was finally allowed her painkiller, Lucius breathed a sigh of relief. He had the sneaking suspicion that his wife was about to lay into him before she was relieved of her excruciating pain.

Hours passed. Draco, who had brought a few books with him, ultimately found staring at the wall more enticing. He couldn't concentrate enough to read. Seismic life change was occurring in the room behind him, and he wasn't able to do anything to help. He sighed, reflecting on the idea that these were his last moments of being an only child. Despite his inability to concentrate on a simple task, Draco couldn't help but feel a jolt of excitement rush through him at the thought of having someone looking up to him.

Narcissa, now free of pain, still felt pressure. The healer instructed her to to push. She shared a glance with her husband, then took his hand and squeezed it as she began pushing. She shrieked as she was being ripped apart from the inside out. Sweat was pouring down her face as she gasped for air between pushing.

Hearing the scream sent shivers through Draco, but he forced himself not to look.

One final cry, and it was over. Narcissa's body relaxed.

"It's a boy!" Cried the doctor. "Dad, would you like to cut the cord?"

Lucius nodded and did so, looking at his son for the first time. He was the spitting image of his older brother, and therefore himself. He was very pleased. He handed their son to his wife, and watched her face light up.

His hair was the lightest shade of blonde, with fair haired skin the color of honey and snow. Chubby fingers and matching cheeks furthered the idea that he looked like a cherub. He cried, face red as a tomato. She gently stroked his cheek and kissed it. Draco popped his head in. Narcissa ushered him in.

"Meet your new brother, Eridanus Severus Malfoy."

Draco held him in his arms, mystified by the small, innocent life shown before him. It gave him hope that he could be a good brother to him. The baby reached up and wrapped a hand around his finger. It was in that moment that he finally felt sure of his place in the world. All he could do was smile, and whisper the phrase:

"Welcome home, little brother."


End file.
